Gutiérrez and Martinez lead Mexico to victory over Ghana in a World Cup warm-up
Mexico's Brian Gutiérrez, right, is congratulated after scoring his side's opening goal against Ghana during an international friendly soccer match in Puebla, Mexico, Friday, May 22, 2026. Credit: AP/Fernando Llano
PUEBLA, México — Midfielder Brian Gutiérrez and striker Guillermo Martinez scored goals as Mexico edged Ghana 2-0 on Friday in a warm-up match for the 2026 World Cup.
Gutiérrez, an American-born player aiming for his first World Cup appearance, scored the first goal of the match in the second minute and Martínez added a goal in the 52nd for Mexico.
With the win, Mexico ran its unbeaten streak to six matches. Its last defeat was in November to Paraguay.
The match was held at the Cuauhtemoc stadium in Puebla, a city located 130 kilometers (80 miles) from Mexico City.
The stadium wasn’t completely sold out because FIFA sanctioned Mexico for the homophobic chant its fans used in friendly matches against Ecuador and Paraguay at the end of last year.
Mexico will play its first World Cup match on June 11 against South Africa at the Azteca Stadium. On June 18, the team faces South Korea in Guadalajara and closes out the first round against Czech Republic in Mexico City.
Carlos Queiroz made his debut as Ghana coach with the loss. The veteran coach used an inexperienced squad because the match was outside FIFA’s international window. Last month, the 73-year-old coach replaced Otto Addo, who was fired after a string of disappointing results.
Mexico's Guillermo Martínez, left, is congratulated after scoring his side's 2nd goal against Ghana during an international friendly soccer match in Puebla, Mexico, Friday, May 22, 2026. Credit: AP/Fernando Llano
At the World Cup, Ghana will first face Panama on June 17 in Toronto.
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